The British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards or BAFTA Awards are among the most prestigious awards that invariably garner lots of interest. They were first held back in 1949, and six years later, the ceremony was broadcast for the first time on BBC. Initially, the ceremonies were held at the Odeon cinema in Leicester Square but were later moved to the Royal Opera House. From 2017 onwards, the ceremonies take place at the Royal Albert Hall in London.
They honour the best British and international contributions to films from the previous year. The awards share certain similarities with the Oscars as they are also broken down into categories. Accolades are given for best film, best actor and actress, best supporting role, best director, best animated film, and others. All winners are given a statue, which depicts a theatrical mask, and which is designed by the American sculptor Mitzi Cunliffe.
Although there are a number of movie award shows that might come to punters’ minds, many fans of entertainment betting are already looking forward to the 75th British Academy Film Awards because of the plethora of betting opportunities the ceremony provides. The nominees were announced on the 3rd of February, while the ceremony during which the awards will be given will take place on the 13th of March.
Congratulations to all the 2022 #EEBAFTAs nominees! Discover the list in full 👇
Tune in on Sunday 13 March to see who takes home those iconic BAFTA masks ✨
— BAFTA (@BAFTA) February 3, 2022
As the BAFTA awards are on the horizon, bookmakers have introduced a wide range of wagers for punters to decide between.
BAFTA Film Awards Popularity
The BAFTA awards ceremony is among the most anticipated award shows during which the best films from the previous year can earn notoriety and recognition. As the awards’ red carpet will soon be put out and the top performers will be given prizes hundreds upon hundreds of people are expected to tune in and watch the ceremony. Figures show that last year, around 2 million people tuned in when the ceremony started.
According to a survey, which was conducted back in 2020, just 5% of respondents were very interested in the awards, while those who were fairly interested were 21%. The respondents who were not very interested and those who were not at all interested were 29% and 44%, respectively. Just 2% of people who took part in the poll could not decide.
| Male | Female | |
|---|---|---|
| Very interested | 5% | 6% |
| Fairly interested | 17% | 24% |
| Not very interested | 26% | 31% |
| Not at all interested | 51% | 37% |
| Do not know | 1% | 2% |
British Academy Film Awards Popularity among Brits Based on Their Age
| 18-24 | 25-34 | 35-44 | 45-54 | 55+ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Very interested | 7% | 7% | 3% | 5% | 5% |
| Fairly interested | 27% | 24% | 21% | 18% | 19% |
| Not very interested | 30% | 30% | 29% | 27% | 28% |
| Not at all interested | 31% | 36% | 44% | 48% | 48% |
| Do not know | 4% | 3% | 3% | 2% | 0% |
British Academy Film Awards Popularity in the US
A survey, which was conducted in the US shows that 45% of respondents have heard about the BAFTA awards. Those who like them are 16%, while those who do not are around 12%. The respondents who are neutral are 18%.
It is interesting to point out that the awards are more popular among men than women. Around 19% of male respondents have a liking for the awards, while the share of female respondents who like the film awards is 13%. The share of men who have heard about the film awards is also higher, and the male respondents who are familiar with the awards are 55%, while the female respondents who know about the awards are 38%.
2022 BAFTA Film Awards Betting Odds
The variety of bets punters can place on BAFTA vary significantly between the sports betting platforms, and while some bookmakers offer prices only for the main categories, others cover all production and performance categories.
Best Film
This year, the top nominee for best film is Dune, as the sci-fi epic has 11 nominations, and it is followed by The Power of the Dog, which has eight nominations. Belfast has six nominations, while Licorice Pizza, No Time to Die, and West Side Story each have five nominations. In spite of the praises that are lavished upon the film, most bookmakers do not price Dune as the best flick, which will get the award. Instead, Belfast is the movie, which seems odds-on to get the award in this category.
Among this year’s top candidates for outstanding film, there is also Western psychological drama The Power of the Dog and Belfast, which follows the family experience of a young boy and his family in Belfast during the late 1960s. Licorice Pizza is a film, which tells the love story between Gary Valentine and Alana Kane in San Fernando Valley, in 1973.
Now, the question, which is on the lips of punters and film fans, is who will take the most coveted prizes home.
| Paddy Power | Ladbrokes | William Hill | Betfair | Betway | Vbet | Sporting Index | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dune | 11.00 | 8.00 | 7.00 | 11.00 | 8.00 | 6.50 | 7.00 |
| Belfast | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.62 | 2.75 | 2.37 | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Don’t Look Up | 34.00 | 26.00 | 26.00 | 34.00 | 26.00 | 41.00 | 41.00 |
| The Power of the Dog | 1.53 | 1.67 | 1.57 | 1.53 | 1.57 | 1.57 | 1.53 |
| Licorice Pizza | 21.00 | 17.00 | 17.00 | 21.00 | 17.00 | 29.00 | 29.00 |
It is interesting to point out that since the inception of the awards, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is the film, which has won the most awards as it has nine wins. The movie with the most nominations is Gandhi. It was presented in 1982 and got 16 nominations.
Best Actor in Leading Role
The best actor and actress in leading roles are among the most popular categories and the ones punters normally stick with. As the name suggests, this category celebrates the best performance of an actor in a leading role. Last year, this award was given to Anthony Hopkins for The Father (2020). Interestingly, this is not the first time he has won the award as he also got the gong for his performance in The Silence of the Lambs (1991) and The Remains of the Day (1993). Other actors with multiple wins are Peter Finch who has received the accolade five times, and Daniel Day-Lewis who has received the award four times. Marlon Brando and Jack Lemon each have two wins.
So far, the actors with the most nominations are Michael Caine, Daniel Day-Lewis, Peter Finch, Dustin Hoffman, Jack Lemmon, and Laurence Olivier, as each one of them has been nominated seven times.
If punters plan to place bets on the best actor in a leading or supporting role, they should keep in mind that no British actor has been given the award since 2019. Additionally, they should be mindful that individual awards are in no way related to winning in other categories. Thus, the best actor can get the accolade even if the movie he plays in does not get an award.
This year, Benedict Cumberbatch is priced as a favourite by bookies, and he is closely followed by Will Smith, who is nominated for a BAFTA award for the first time.
| Paddy Power | William Hill | Betfair | Ladbrokes | Vbet | Betway | Sporting Index | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benedict Cumberbatch (The Power of the Dog) | 1.67 | 1.44 | 1.67 | 1.62 | 1.62 | 1.40 | 1.57 |
| Will Smith (King Richard) | 2.38 | 2.50 | 2.38 | 2.38 | 2.20 | 2.75 | 2.40 |
| Stephen Graham (Boiling Point) | 17.00 | 15.00 | 17.00 | 17.00 | 26.00 | 17.00 | 23.00 |
| Leonardo Dicaprio (Don’t Look Up) | 17.00 | 17.00 | 17.00 | 17.00 | 26.00 | 17.00 | 26.00 |
| Mahershala Ali (Swan Song) | 21.00 | 17.00 | 21.00 | 26.00 | 34.00 | 17.00 | 34.00 |
| Adeel Akhtar (Ali & Ava) | 26.00 | 34.00 | 26.00 | 26.00 | 41.00 | 34.00 | 41.00 |
Best Actor in Supporting Role
Denholm Elliott is the actor with the most nominations for supporting roles in the history of the awards, as has been among the nominees seven times. Additionally, he is the actor with the most wins as he has received the award three times on the trot. Edward Fox, Ian Holm, Ray McAnally, Geoffrey Rush, and Christoph Waltz have received the BAFTA Award for Supporting Role two times.
This year, most bookies price Kodi Smit McPhee as the winner of the award for the Best Supporting Actor for his role in The Power of the Dog. The award is currently held by Daniel Kaluuya for his performance in Judas and the Black Messiah.
| Paddy Power | Betfair | Vbet | William Hill | Betway | Sports Index | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kodi Smit-McPhee (The Power of the Dog) | 1.57 | 1.57 | 1.57 | 1.53 | 1.36 | 1.57 |
| Troy Kotsur (CODA) | 3.50 | 3.50 | 3.75 | 3.50 | 3.50 | 4.00 |
| Ciaran Hinds (Belfast) | 6.00 | 6.00 | 6.00 | 4.50 | 4.50 | 5.50 |
| Jesse Plemons (The Power Of The Dog) | 21.00 | 21.00 | 15.00 | 13.00 | 13.00 | 13.00 |
| Mike Faist (West Side Story) | 26.00 | 26.00 | 29.00 | 26.00 | 26.00 | 26.00 |
| Woody Norman (C’mon C’mon) | 34.00 | 34.00 | 41.00 | 41.00 | 41.00 | 34.00 |
Best Actress in Leading Role
Formerly, there were separate awards for Best Foreign Actress and Best British Actress, but in 1968, the two awards were merged. Following this, the Best Actress award was given until 1984, and the next year, the name of the award was changed to Best Actress in Leading Role.
Meryl Streep is the actress with the most nominations for Best Actress in Leading Role as he has been among the nominees 12 times. Maggie Smith is the actress that has received the award most times as she has received the famous theatrical mask trophy four times. Anne Bancroft, Audrey Hepburn, and Simone Signoret each have received the award three times. Audrey Hepburn, on the other hand, is the actress with the most British Actress Awards until 1967.
A new poster for Joachim Trier’s #Oscar and #BAFTA-nominated #TheWorstPersonInTheWorld has been released ahead of the film's arrival in cinemas across the UK and Ireland on March 25 and then exclusively on MUBI on May 13. pic.twitter.com/rumqbyy0Bn
— JumpCut Online (@JumpCut_Online) March 1, 2022
| Paddy Power | Betfair | Ladbrokes | Vbet | William Hill | Betway | Sporting Index | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lady Gaga (House of Gucci) | 2.50 | 2.50 | 1.83 | 1.80 | 2.00 | 1.90 | 1.70 |
| Emilia Jones (CODA) | 4.33 | 4.33 | 7.00 | 5.50 | 3.75 | 4.33 | 4.50 |
| Joanna Scanlan (After Love) | 4.33 | 4.33 | 5.00 | 5.50 | 3.50 | 3.25 | 6.00 |
| Renate Reinsve (The Worst Person In The World) | 4.33 | 4.33 | 6.00 | 6.50 | 8.00 | 9.00 | 8.00 |
| Alana Haim (Licorice Pizza) | 10.00 | 10.00 | 13.00 | 13.00 | 10.00 | 9.00 | 12.00 |
| Tessa Thompson (Passing) | 26.00 | 26.00 | 26.00 | 41.00 | 26.00 | 26.00 | 34.00 |
Best Actress in Supporting Role
The award was first given in 1968 when Billie Whitelaw got recognition for her role in Charlie Bubbles. It is interesting to note that initially, there were only four nominees for outstanding supporting performance in a film but back in 1999, the number was extended. So far, there are only two actresses that have received the award multiple times and these are Judi Dench and Kate Winslet. While Dench has received the award three times, Winslet has been given the accolade two times.
The Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role is currently held by Youn Yuh-jung for her role in Minari (2020). Additionally, she is also the oldest recipient of the award. Peggy Ashcroft is the oldest nominee as she was 81 years old when her name was put forward.
Ariana DeBose is currently priced as the actress who is expected to get recognition for best performance in the supporting role in West Side Story. For now, she is well ahead of the other nominees, and she is followed by Catriona Balfe as Ma and Jessie Buckley as Young Leda Caruso.
| Paddy Power | Betfair | Vbet | William Hill | Betway | Sporting Index | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ariana DeBose (West Side Story) | 1.44 | 1.44 | 1.57 | 1.50 | 1.50 | 1.66 |
| Catriona Balfe (Belfast) | 5.00 | 5.00 | 3.25 | 3.00 | 2.75 | 3.25 |
| Jessie Buckley (The Lost Daughter) | 7.00 | 7.00 | 6.50 | 6.50 | 7.50 | 6.00 |
| Ruth Negga (Passing) | 17.00 | 17.00 | 21.00 | 17.00 | 21.00 | 19.00 |
| Ann Dowd (Mass) | 21.00 | 21.00 | 34.00 | 21.00 | 21.00 | 29.00 |
| Aunjanue Ellis (King Richard) | 21.00 | 21.00 | 41.00 | 21.00 | 21.00 | 21.00 |
BAFTA Award for Best Direction
The award was formerly known as David Lean Award for Achievement in Direction, but its name was changed to Award for Best Direction back in 2008. Martin Scorsese is the director with the most nominations as he has been among the contenders for the award ten times. Steven Soderbergh is the director with the most nominations in the same year as his name has been put forward for Erin Brockovich and Traffic. There are several directors that have two or more wins, including Woody Allen, Alan Parker, John Schlesinger, Louis Malle, Peter Weir, Ang Lee, Roman Polanski, Joel Coen, and Alfonso CuarĂłndirections.
#BAFTA Nominations:
Best Director:
Jane Campion, The Power of the Dog
Audrey Diwan, Happening
Paul Thomas Anderson, Licorice Pizza
Ryûsuke Hamaguchi, Drive My Car
Julia Ducournau, Titane
Aleem Khan, After Love pic.twitter.com/757PGiUsvh— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) February 3, 2022
The award, which is given for excellence in film directing, is currently held by ChloĂ© Zhao for Nomadland (2020). As it seems, most bookmakers price Jane Campion as this year’s recipient of the award. The lion’s share of the bookmakers put Ryusuke Hamaguchi and Paul Thomas Anderson after Jane Campion, but at this point, the difference in the odds is significant.
| Paddy Power | Betfair | Ladbrokes | VBet | William Hill | Betway | Sports Nation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jane Campion (The Power of the Dog) | 1.20 | 1.20 | 1.20 | 1.17 | 1.14 | 1.20 | 1.16 |
| Ryusuke Hamaguchi (Drive My Car) | 8.00 | 8.00 | 17.00 | 21.00 | 13.00 | 10.00 | 21.00 |
| Paul Thomas Anderson (Licorice Pizza) | 11.00 | 11.00 | 15.00 | 21.00 | 13.00 | 11.00 | 21.00 |
| Aleem Khan (After Love) | 15.00 | 15.00 | 9.00 | 9.00 | 9.50 | 9.00 | 9.00 |
| Audrey Diwan (Happening) | 19.00 | 19.00 | 11.00 | 13.00 | 11.00 | 10.00 | 12.00 |
| Julia Ducournau (Titane) | 21.00 | 21.00 | 17.00 | 34.00 | 17.00 | 13.00 | 29.00 |
Outstanding British Film
Initially, the award was known as Alexander Korda Award for Best British Film, and although its name was changed, it is still given in honour of the Hungarian-British film director, producer and screenwriter. It is worth noting that there are strict conditions under which flicks can be eligible for the award, and this will only be possible if the film “has significant creative involvement by individuals who are British”.
Last year, the award went to Promising Young Woman, which is directed by Emerald Fennell. The film, which is currently priced as the winner in this category is Belfast. Betfair, Paddy Power, and Sporting Index all price Belfast at 1.33. After Love is priced at 7.00 with all three bookmakers, while No Time To Die is priced at 9.00.
| Paddy Power | Betfair | Sporting Index | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belfast (Kenneth Branagh, Laura Berwick, Becca Kovacik, Tamar Thomas) | 1.33 | 1.33 | 1.33 |
| After Love (Aleem Khan, Matthieu de Braconier) | 7.00 | 7.00 | 7.00 |
| No Time To Die (Cary Joji Fukunaga, Barbara Broccoli, Michael G. Wilson, Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, Phoebe Waller-Bridge) | 9.00 | 9.00 | 7.00 |
| Boiling Point (Philip Barantini, Bart Ruspoli, Hester Ruoff, James Cummings) | 17.00 | 17.00 | 29.00 |
| House of Gucci (Ridley Scott, Mark Huffam, Giannina Scott, Kevin J Walsh, Roberto Bentivegna, Becky Johnston) | 19.00 | 19.00 | 19.00 |
| Passing (Rebecca Hall, Margot Hand, Nina Yang Bongiovi, Forest Whitaker) | 21.00 | 21.00 | 51.00 |
| Cyrano (Joe Wright, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Guy Heeley, Erica Schmidt) | 26.00 | 26.00 | 51.00 |
| Last Night in Soho (Edgar Wright, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Nira Park, Krysty Wilson-Cairns) | 26.00 | 26.00 | 41.00 |
| Ali & Ava (Clio Barnard, Tracy O’Riordan) | 34.00 | 34.00 | 51.00 |
| Everybody’s Talking About Jamie (Jonathan Butterell, Peter Carlton, Mark Herbert, Dan Gillespie Sells, Tom MacRae) | 34.00 | 34.00 | 51.00 |
Best Animated Film
The BAFTA award, which is given for excellence in animated films, is a relatively new accolade as it was given for the first time in 2007. The first flick, which received the award is the musical comedy film Happy Feet, which is produced by George Miller.
The award for Best Animated Film is currently held by Soul, which is produced by Dana Murray. The nominees for this years’ award are Encanto, which is directed by Jared Bush and Byron Howard, Flee, which is directed by Jonas Poher Rasmussen, Luca, which is directed by Enrico Casarosa, and The Mitchells vs. the Machines, which is directed by Mike Rianda. For now, Encanto is priced as the winner, while bookies price Flee as a runner-up.
| Animated Film | Paddy Power |
|---|---|
| Encanto | 1.53 |
| Flee | 4.00 |
| Luca | 8.00 |
| The Mitchells vs. the Machines | 8.00 |
Best Original Screenplay
The award for Best Original Screenplay was given for the first time in 1984 after the BAFTA Award for Best Screenplay was broken down into two separate categories. Today, the award is held by Emerald Fennell for Promising Young Woman, and as it seems, bookmakers think that Belfast will be the winner this year.
| Paddy Power | Betfair | |
|---|---|---|
| Belfast | 1.67 | 1.67 |
| Licorice Pizza | 2.63 | 2.63 |
| Don’t Look Up | 13.00 | 13.00 |
| King Richard | 15.00 | 15.00 |
| Being the Ricardos | 15.00 | 15.00 |
- Author
Harry Evans
